1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a seal member for water-tightly sealing male and female electric connector housings to each other.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a waterproof electric connector seal member is formed by covering an annular seal holder on the outer periphery of a flange portion placed at the end of the tubular seal member formed of elastic synthetic rubber. The annular seal holder is formed of a synthetic resin material which is harder than the tubular seal member and two tongues are integrally formed to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the annular seal holder in the two positions oppositely facing each other with respect to the axis of the electric connectors. Within a male electric connector housing, a flexible arm having an inwardly-protruding retaining shoulder at the forward end thereof is formed in a position corresponding to each of the tongues on the annular seal holder.
When such a tubular seal member is being inserted into the male electric connector housing, the tongues on the annular seal holder abut against the retaining shoulders of the flexible arms which are then resiliently deformed so as to permit the tongues to pass through the retaining shoulders. Then, when the tubular seal member is fully inserted into the male electric connector housing, the flexible arms resiliently return to their original shape so that the shoulders can retain the tongues. Subsequently, when a female electric connector housing is inserted into the male electric connector housing, the tubular seal member is pressurized to be elastically deformed and accordingly to closely contact the wall of the male electric connector housing, thus sealing the gap between the male and female electric connector housings.
The shape of the electric connector housings varies depending upon the number of terminals accommodated therein and placed in parallel to each other. When the number of terminals is small, the lateral width of the electric connector housing becomes narrow. On the other hand, when the number of terminals placed in parallel to each other increases, the accommodating connector housing has greater length and width dimensions, or it is formed in a rectangular shape having a great lateral width. It is thus necessary to manufacture respective tubular seal members adaptable to electric connectors which are variously shaped depending upon the number of terminals and, in addition, it is further necessary to manufacture annular seal holders adaptable to such variously-shaped tubular seal members.